1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tilt switch carried by a motorcycle and connected in an engine control circuit to control the operation of the motorcycle engine in response to the front end of the motorcycle being lifted off the ground during rapid or sudden acceleration events to prevent the motorcycle from flipping over and causing injury or death to the operator and/or his passenger.
2. Background Art
Motorcycles are motor vehicles that are capable of being rapidly accelerated by their operators. Occasionally, such rapid acceleration may cause the front wheel of the motorcycle to lift off the ground (commonly known as a “wheelie”). If the motorcycle continues to accelerate with the front end thereof lifted up, it is possible that the motorcycle will flip over and land on top of the operator and/or his passenger so as to result in serious injury or even death.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have available a reliable, low cost and easy to use means to be carried by the motorcycle to limit the elevation of the front wheel above the ground during a wheelie so as to avoid a flip-over. Moreover, it is further desirable that such flip-over prevention means be attached to the motorcycle without requiring any changes to the original construction thereof.
Examples of devices which are responsive to the level of a motorcycle traveling over a roadway are available by referring to either one of the following published patent applications:
U.S. Pat. No. 20020063047BurnettMay 30, 2002U.S. Pat. No. 20020039951HasegawaApr. 14, 2002